County Farm to School, Farm to Community Coordinator (CC) in Dade County will help to support capacity building in the local food system and expand access to healthful foods by eligible populations. In this context, food systems are defined as the activities and processes included in the movement of healthful food from farm/garden to plate. This includes school and community gardens; farmers’ markets; Smarter Lunchrooms Movement; and helping farmers access new markets, such as school cafeteria and corner stores. The CC will engage school food authorities, communities, and farmers in order to provide them with the education and technical support to increase the availability of specialty crops in the school lunch program and to increase the number of farmers selling to local farmers’ markets using appropriate procurement processes while meeting state and federal food safety standards. Other duties are to provide outreach and support for school food service and producers to promote Farm to School in county FNP-eligible schools, to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income communities, to help develop pilot programs, and/or to implement new relationships for the sale of local products. CC will travel throughout the county and surrounding area to meet school food authorities, farmers, distributors, Extension agents, and other relevant stakeholders to increase procurement of local food in county. Farmers will be introduced to food safety requirements for schools and given information on relevant training opportunities, including selling to schools and accepting Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). CC will also assist with implementing school and community gardens.
2016 National Food Hub Conference
At the 2016 National Food Hub Conference – March 20-April 1 in Atlanta – you’ll meet the business developers, investors, and community leaders making it happen. It’s the can’t-miss meet-up of hundreds of private and public partners involved in building new supply chain links from farm to table.
Learn the nuts, bolts, and trajectory of the new food economy through up-close tours and trainings, deep-dive plenaries, and 35 breakout sessions.
Exploring Stories of Food Systems Planning and Policy Innovation
Growing Food Connections is excited to announce the addition of 5 free publications to the Exploring Stories of Innovation series, a series of short articles that explore how local governments from across the United States are strengthening their community’s food system through planning and policy. These include:
- City of Burlington and Chittenden County, Vermont
- City of Cleveland, Ohio
- City of Minneapolis, Minnesota
- City of Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas
- City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Beginning in 2012, Growing Food Connections (GFC) conducted a national scan and identified 299 local governments across the United States that are developing and implementing a range of innovative plans, public programs, regulations, laws, financial investments and other policies to strengthen the food system. GFC conducted exploratory telephone interviews with 20 of these local governments. This series highlights some of the unique planning and policy strategies used by some of these urban and rural local governments to enhance community food security while ensuring sustainable and economically viable agriculture and food production. The first four articles in the series featured:
- City of Seattle, Washington
- Baltimore City, Maryland
- Cabarrus County, North Carolina
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
For more information and to download these free publications, visit http://growingfoodconnections.org/research/communities-of-innovation/.
Growing Food Connections is supported by Agriculture and Food Research initiative Competitive Grant no. 2012-68004-19894 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY | Invest Health: Strategies for Healthier Cities
Invest Health is a new initiative that brings together diverse leaders from mid-sized U.S. cities across the nation to develop new strategies for increasing and leveraging private and public investments to accelerate improvements in neighborhoods facing the biggest barriers to better health. The program is a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Reinvestment Fund.
This initiative was developed to provide an opportunity for mid-sized cities to transform the way local leaders work together to create solution-driven and diverse partnerships. These partnerships will emphasize making changes in low-income neighborhoods to improve resident health and well-being. These changes can focus on increasing access to quality jobs, affordable housing, and nutritious food, and reducing crime rates and environmental hazards.
For more information on this funding opportunity, visit http://www.investhealth.org/#apply. Letters of Intent are due by January 29, 2016 at 5pm EST.
Job Posting: Growing Food Connections Community Outreach Coordinator
American Farmland Trust (AFT) seeks an energetic self-starter to coordinate extension and outreach to help local governments build capacity to plan for food and agriculture and develop public policies to strengthen community food systems.
AFT is the nation’s leading national organization dedicated to protecting farmland, promoting sound stewardship and keeping farmers on the land. The Community Outreach Coordinator will support AFT’s partnership in a USDA-funded integrated research, education and extension project called Growing Food Connections (GFC). The Coordinator’s primary responsibilities will be to coordinate and deliver training and technical assistance to eight counties across the United States.
The ideal candidate will have a background in land use or community planning, sustainable agriculture, food systems and public policy at the local government level. S/he will have a passion for community engagement, excellent listening, communication and interpersonal skills, experience working with diverse populations, and demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of closely knit team. Strong computer skills and an ability to coordinate multiple people, partners and deliverables is essential.
The Coordinator will report directly to AFT’s Assistant Vice President of Programs and work closely with other project staff within AFT and with GFC partner organizations. The position is full time and based out of AFT’s Northampton, Mass. Office. Extensive travel is required.
For more information and details on how to apply, click here.
Job Posting: Manager – Worcester Food Policy Council
The Worcester Food Policy Council (WFPC) is comprised of community organizations and stakeholders who align with the Council mission to “engage diverse partners to foster a healthy and just food system” for Worcester. Members of the Council work together collaboratively to: advocate for policies and systems changes to improve our food system; educate our community and policy makers on food systems issues that impact our communities; eliminate inequity as it relates to food access; collaborate to effect a cultural change towards healthy eating; and celebrate our assets, actions and accomplishments. This full-time position is funded by the Worcester County Food Bank and reports to the Director of Advocacy at the Food Bank.
For more information: http://worcesterfoodandactiveliving.org/jobsinternships/
Job Posting: Detroit Food Policy Council – Research and Policy Program Manager
The Detroit Food Policy Council is seeking a Program Manager to plan and implement the Council’s research and policy activities. This is a full time salaried position with flexible scheduling to accommodate required evening and weekend work. The full job description is below. To apply please send cover letter, resume, three references and a writing sample electronically to: info@detroitfoodpc.org with DFPC Program Manager Application in the subject line or via mail to: Detroit Food Policy Council, Attention: Hiring Manager, 1420 Washington Blvd., Ste. 230, Detroit, MI 48226. Only potential interviewees will be contacted. No phone calls please.
Job Opening: Detroit Food Policy Council
Detroit Food Policy Council Research and Policy Program Manager
The Detroit Food Policy Council is seeking a Program Manager to plan and implement the Council’s research and policy activities. This is a full time salaried position with flexible scheduling to accommodate required evening and weekend work.
Area of Focus: Food Systems Research and Policy, Land Use, Urban Agriculture, Economic and Community Development
Organizational Description: The Detroit Food Policy Council (DFPC) is an advisory, monitoring and implementation body that is committed to nurturing the development and maintenance of a food-secure City of Detroit in which all of its residents are hunger-free, healthy and benefit economically from the food system that impacts their lives.
Position Summary: The Research and Policy Manager of the DFPC reports to the DFPC Executive Director works in partnership with the Council to plan and implement the Council’s research and policy activities.
Compensation: This is a full time position with flexible scheduling to accommodate required evening and weekend work. This is a salaried position based on an average of 40 hours a week; benefits include paid holidays and vacation and an allowance towards reimbursement of health insurance costs.
Qualifications: The successful candidate will be familiar with land use, economic development and policy related to urban food systems. Candidates with familiarity with Detroit’s political, social and economic environment are preferred. S/he will possess excellent research, analysis, written and communications skills. S/he will have demonstrated leadership skills, be self-motivated and have the ability to work with a diverse array of partners including residents, neighborhood and community groups, research and policy experts and government officials. Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, public policy, economics or related field and five years professional experience.
Additional Desired Experience and Skills:
- Experience working with and leading volunteers from diverse communities.
- Strong organizational and written/verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Proficiency in all Office applications required.
- Passion for people and food justice issues in Detroit
- Experience in research, marketing and communications tools, including survey methods, website and social media tools.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serve as the staff liaison to the DFPC’s Research and Policy Committee which is currently reviewing the City’s Food Security Policy, developing a strategy for urban agriculture and land use tied.
- Responsible for research, planning, and managing the DFPC Food Report project from inception to publication.
- Participate on the team which is working to implement recommendations from the 2014 study of the economic impact of localizing the food system.
- Develop and implement strategies that facilitate community engagement in the DFPC’s research and policy initiatives.
- Work with other organizations to address policy issues related to food security and food system localization
- Work with the Executive Director and Education and Engagement Program Manager to develop and implement community and neighborhood focused education and outreach programs that education residents and help inform the Council’s priorities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Application Process
Please send cover letter, resume, three references and a writing sample electronically to: info@detroitfoodpc.org with DFPC Program Manager Application in the subject line or via mail to: Detroit Food Policy Council, Attention: Hiring Manager, 1420 Washington Blvd., Ste 230, Detroit, MI 48226. Only potential interviewees will be contacted. No phone calls please.
For more information about the Detroit Food Policy Council, please visit: www.detroitfoodpc.org
The Detroit Food Policy Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
How to Conduct a Community Food System Assessment- A New Guide for Planners
APA’s current PAS (Planning Advisory Service) Memo focuses on how planners can conduct or support a community in a community food system assessment. A community food system assessment provides a comprehensive tool to identify the assets and barriers for a community’s food system. Conducted at the neighborhood, city, or even regional level, this assessment tool offers a systems approach that provides planners and the community ways to identify issues and solutions, engage the community, and inform policy-making. The Community Food System Assessments (Nov/Dec 2015) Memo, by Kara Martin and Tammy Morales, includes examples of assessments, resources, and a case study on Buffalo, New York to demonstrate how various communities have used this tool.
The Memo is just one of APA’s many resources focused on food system planning. The 2008 PAS Report, Planners Guide to Community and Regional Food Planning (PAS 554), by Samina Raja, Branden Born and Jessica Kozlowski Russell, is particularly helpful for understanding how planners play a role in the food environment. The policy report, Planning for Food Access and Community-Based Food Systems: A National Scan and Evaluation of Local Comprehensive and Sustainability Plans by Kimberley Hodgson (2012), is useful for communities incorporating food access into their comprehensive plans or sustainability plans. Check out these and other APA’s food system publications that can help you and your community in taking steps to building a healthy, equitable food system.
Job Opportunity: Community Health Planning (applications due 12/25)
There is a vacancy at the City Planning Commission for the Community Health Planning Assignment in the City Planner 3 specification. This innovative position bridges public health and planning and as such is also a part of the Get Healthy Philly team. Applications are accepted through 12/25. The assignment description is just below and the full specification (and application) is linked here: https://phila.peopleadmin.com/postings/26052
COMMUNITY HEALTH PLANNING ASSIGNMENT
Integrates public health considerations into planning policy and project implementation; coordinates, conducts and analyses Health Impact Assessments (HIA) and makes recommendations for District Plans and other City Planning Commission adopted and accepted plans; communicates the health impacts of planning decisions to stakeholders; presents findings and recommendations at meetings; collaborates with a variety of city agencies and external partners to implement recommendations, including bicycle and pedestrian safety interventions and zoning re-mappings to improve access to health-supportive goods, services, and infrastructure; performs project management duties; manages HIA process for proposed development projects as required; convenes stakeholders to screen and scope each HIA.
Performs Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and analysis; develops and utilizes spatial analysis tools designed to assist in identifying opportunities to improve health; develops proposals and reports; oversees the work of student interns; performs analysis as necessary on factors affecting fresh-food access, active transportation, and other health issues; develops new tools to evaluate the health impacts of major projects to incorporate health considerations into the daily activities of the City Planning Commission; develops educational materials for presentation to the public including the Citizens Planning Institute.
Represents Philadelphia City Planning Commission at events relevant to healthy planning goals; serves as a technical resource to community groups; solicits information from the community to establish health-related priorities; considers community input in planning process; engages design and development communities to build capacity and support for projects that support the healthy built-environment goals of the City Planning Commission and the Department of Public Health.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 12/13.)
EDUCATION: Completion of a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university in a field related to city planning*
GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Two years of technical city planning experience in the area of assignment.
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE: One year of technical city planning experience at the full performance level in the area of assignment.
APA FOOD 